Mount Pleasant earns Silver Ladle

Cheers rang out when Mount Pleasant Country Club in Boylston won the Silver Ladle Award at the Central Mass Business Expo held this month at the DCU Center in Worcester.

It was the first time the club competed, and participants were ecstatic.

Good reason to celebrate.

The Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, expo sponsor, annually hosts a food tasting at the end of the show. Local restaurants compete in a friendly culinary competition, while guests schmooze and munch on their food.

Judges are asked to score food based on taste and presentation. Points also are awarded for booth setup.

I judged the competition with Jane Thibeault, former head of the culinary department at Worcester Technical High School, and we commented that it was good to have several new restaurants included in the tastings.

The pork shank was served in stemmed cordial glasses and finished with a grilled plantain chip. The coronets were mini chocolate ice cream cones filled with pumpkin cheesecake and finished with chocolate ganache.

Kunsch, originally from Pennsylvania, is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University. He began working in New Orleans at The Windsor Court Hotel and later worked as chef at the 15th Street Bookbinders in Philadelphia. He assisted the Bookbinder family in opening their restaurant in Margate, N.J. His career also has taken him to chef positions in Delaware and North Carolina and university clubs in Florida and Texas. Kunsch moved to Massachusetts in 2000, working at The International Golf Club & Resort in Bolton and Ledgemont Country Club in Seekonk.

Mount Pleasant Country Club is on the rebound under new ownership as of January 2012. Club owner/president Regan Remillard is reported to be committed to “investing in all of the club’s properties, making it one of the great country clubs in Massachusetts.”

Brian Lynch is general manager of the club; Brian Dugan, director of food and beverage.

Many diners probably remember when Dugan and Steven Greene, both of Shrewsbury, owned and operated the former TriBeCa restaurant on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester. The building remains in their ownership, and the location now houses a chef-owned and operated restaurant, Nuovo.

After selling TriBeCa, Dugan worked at Legal Sea Foods in Framingham and the Prudential Center in Boston. He was manager at Legal C Bar at Legacy Place in Dedham.

Mount Pleasant Country Club is private, but it is open to weddings, special functions, corporate meetings and golf outings, according to Dugan.

A social membership that includes swimming, tennis and dining is available, he said.

The club, which closes from January to March, is expected to undergo major renovations, beginning next year. Renovations will not interfere with any of the club’s functions, said Dugan. “Everything is being carefully planned out.”

Dec. 12, 5:30 p.m. Chef/co-owner Christiana Ernst of Via Alto 27 in Clinton will make a traditional holiday dish — pasta rolls au gratin with leeks, pumpkin and salmon, which Ernst said is perfect for the Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes.

The Vin Bin, 91 Main St., Marlboro, will host a book signing of “A Murder in Wellesley: The Inside Story of an Ivy-League Doctor’s Double Life, His Slain Wife and the Trial That Gripped the Nation” by Tom Farmer and Marty Foley from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 30.

The authors (Foley is a Marlboro resident) will sign copies of the book, which will be available for purchase.

The Vin Bin will have a wine tasting during the event.

More info: (508) 480-9463, or visit www.thevinbin.com.

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Wormtown Brewery in Worcester took home gold, silver and bronze medals at the annual Great International Beer & Cider Competition held earlier this month at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence.

The competition included 470 beers and ciders from across the United States and around the world. Eighty-three professional brewers, beer industry professionals and beer journalists judged beers and ciders in a blind tasting format. First, second and third place awards were presented in 44 categories of ales, lagers and ciders.

Wormtown’s Mass Whole Hefeweizen won silver in the German Wheat Beer category. The brewery won bronze medals for its B&T Ale in the Strong Beer-Old Ale category and its Worcester’s Bravest in the Belgian & French Ale category.

Wormtown Brewery is at 455 Park Ave., the location of Peppercorn’s Grille and Tavern. The Tom Oliveri family owns the restaurant and the brewery.

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Congratulations to Ed and Sue Reed of Reed’s Country Store, 753 Barre Road, New Braintree, who this month are celebrating 35 years in business.

The owners will host a coffee and dessert event from 3 to 5 p.m. Nov. 18.

The Reeds said, “Running a business and working side by side everyday has been challenging, and we have seen many changes in our business. Over the years we have gone from a ‘country store’ to a full-service restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. We are so grateful to our customers and hope each one will stop by on Sunday afternoon as we talk about the good time we’ve shared.”

Enjoy the celebration!

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Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurants will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thanksgiving Day with dine-in and to-go menus.

Starting at $45 for up to three guests, and $90, six guests, the restaurant chain’s holiday feast will include white meat turkey served with gravy, a side of spicy Italian sausage stuffing flavored with garlic, sage and Parmesan cheese, whole berry cranberry sauce, garlic mashed potatoes, green beans and mini chocolate chip cannolis.

The full Buca Thanksgiving meal is also available as takeout. Menu favorites can be ordered as party trays to add finishing touches to the holiday meal. Pricing begins at $135 for a “feast” for 10. Orders must be placed by 9 p.m. Nov. 19.

For more information, Thanksgiving reservations, or to place an order to go, visit http://www.bucadibeppo.com/celebrate-thanksgiving.

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Lynch’s Riverview Wine & Spirits, 16 Mendon St., Uxbridge, will have a free in-store tasting from 3 to 6 p.m. Nov. 17 that will focus on pairing wine with a traditional Thanksgiving feast.

Great gift ideas for holiday hosts.

Call (508) 278-5100 for more info.

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The Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts have rescheduled the Girl Scout Fork It Over fundraising event for Feb. 5, 2013, at Coral Seafood Restaurant in Worcester.

Local chefs will create appetizers and desserts using Girl Scout cookies.

More information about the participants closer to the event.

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The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources is encouraging consumers to buy ingredients raised, produced and processed in Massachusetts for their holiday meals.

“Thanksgiving is the perfect time when families can celebrate the bounty of Massachusetts-grown and produced products,” said MDAR Commissioner Greg Watson. “Buying locally all season long promotes Massachusetts businesses and connects families to our state’s wonderfully diverse local food sources.”

Holiday farmers markets and harvest festival have been scheduled throughout the state.

The “10th Annual Thanksgiving Harvest Festival” at Red Apple Farm in Phillipston will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 17 and Nov. 18.

Admission is $2 per person; half off admission with non-perishable food donation.

Visit www.redapplefarm.com for a list of the festival participants. There are lots of them.

The event will feature tastings, live music and games.

For other holiday markets and harvest festivals, visit www.mass.gov/agr/massgrown/calendar.htm.

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Thanksgiving dinner in the ballroom at the Beechwood Hotel in Worcester is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.